tarq1's review
2.0
The majority of the selections contained within this collection are solid though not without fault. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is herein truncated to Alice in Wonderland, however, its sequel Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There retains its complete title.
Tenniel's illustrations are large and boldly displayed through the two aforementioned selections. The Hunting of the Snark, A Tangled Tale, and Phantasmagoria, though they contain illustrations elsewhere, and by other artists, do not herein retain said illustrations.
Speaking of Phantasmagoria, therein lies the rub. In this "Best of" collection, section two is simply labeled: Phantasmagoria. This section could be more accurately labeled: Selections from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems, Sylvie and Bruno, and Sylvie and Bruno Concluded. This, however accurate, is far less concise. You be the judge.
Below I have detailed what is actually contained in this section of the collection.
Legend:
POP = Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
SB = Sylvie and Bruno
SBC = Sylvie and Bruno Concluded
Collection, in order of appearance (Section breaks for clarity, brackets mine):
[Selections from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems: Part 1]
Dyscomfyture (POP: Canto 7 Excerpt) [Cantos 1-6, 8 and most of 7 are in nowise represented]
Poeta Fit, non nascitur (POP)
A Sea Dirge (POP)
Ye Carpette Knyghte (POP)
Atalanta in Camden-town (POP)
[Selections from Sylvie and Bruno and Sylvie and Bruno Concluded]
The Professor's Song: The Little Man That Had a Little Gun (SBC: Ch. 17 Excerpt)
Doll Song (SBC: Ch. 5 Excerpt)
King Fisher Song (SBC: Ch. 1 Excerpt)
There Be Three Badgers on a Mossy Stone (SB: Ch. 17 Excerpt)
The Gardener's Song (SB/SBC: Various Excerpts)
The Pig-tale (SBC: Ch. 23 Excerpt) [The first line should read: "Little Birds are dining", not drinking]
What Tottles Meant (SBC: Ch. 13 Excerpt)
[Selections from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems: Part 2]
Hiawatha's Photographing (POP)
The Three Voices (POP)
Tema Con Variazioni (POP) [accents committed, originally: Tèma con Variaziòni]
The Lang Coortin' (POP)
So, if you are looking for a collection that includes the entirety of the poem Phantasmagoria, this is not it. You only get less than 1/8 of that poem in its entirety and a handful of the "Other Poems" from that collection. Nowhere in this collection is this information detailed. I would have liked to have been informed of that before purchasing this collection.
Nonsense from Letters is incidental and amusing at best.
I would find it hard to recommend this collection to anyone over other Carroll Collections, however, if "Phantasmagoria" was retitled to say "Poems from Phantasmagoria & Sylvie and Bruno" and given a proper introduction I might be convinced to change my mind. Maybe.
Tenniel's illustrations are large and boldly displayed through the two aforementioned selections. The Hunting of the Snark, A Tangled Tale, and Phantasmagoria, though they contain illustrations elsewhere, and by other artists, do not herein retain said illustrations.
Speaking of Phantasmagoria, therein lies the rub. In this "Best of" collection, section two is simply labeled: Phantasmagoria. This section could be more accurately labeled: Selections from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems, Sylvie and Bruno, and Sylvie and Bruno Concluded. This, however accurate, is far less concise. You be the judge.
Below I have detailed what is actually contained in this section of the collection.
Legend:
POP = Phantasmagoria and Other Poems
SB = Sylvie and Bruno
SBC = Sylvie and Bruno Concluded
Collection, in order of appearance (Section breaks for clarity, brackets mine):
[Selections from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems: Part 1]
Dyscomfyture (POP: Canto 7 Excerpt) [Cantos 1-6, 8 and most of 7 are in nowise represented]
Poeta Fit, non nascitur (POP)
A Sea Dirge (POP)
Ye Carpette Knyghte (POP)
Atalanta in Camden-town (POP)
[Selections from Sylvie and Bruno and Sylvie and Bruno Concluded]
The Professor's Song: The Little Man That Had a Little Gun (SBC: Ch. 17 Excerpt)
Doll Song (SBC: Ch. 5 Excerpt)
King Fisher Song (SBC: Ch. 1 Excerpt)
There Be Three Badgers on a Mossy Stone (SB: Ch. 17 Excerpt)
The Gardener's Song (SB/SBC: Various Excerpts)
The Pig-tale (SBC: Ch. 23 Excerpt) [The first line should read: "Little Birds are dining", not drinking]
What Tottles Meant (SBC: Ch. 13 Excerpt)
[Selections from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems: Part 2]
Hiawatha's Photographing (POP)
The Three Voices (POP)
Tema Con Variazioni (POP) [accents committed, originally: Tèma con Variaziòni]
The Lang Coortin' (POP)
So, if you are looking for a collection that includes the entirety of the poem Phantasmagoria, this is not it. You only get less than 1/8 of that poem in its entirety and a handful of the "Other Poems" from that collection. Nowhere in this collection is this information detailed. I would have liked to have been informed of that before purchasing this collection.
Nonsense from Letters is incidental and amusing at best.
I would find it hard to recommend this collection to anyone over other Carroll Collections, however, if "Phantasmagoria" was retitled to say "Poems from Phantasmagoria & Sylvie and Bruno" and given a proper introduction I might be convinced to change my mind. Maybe.
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